Advertising chance device



y 25, 1954 D B JAMESON 2,679,398

ADVERTISING CHANCE DEVICE Filed Jan. 26, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

17. 5. Jam e son ATTU RN EYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 26, .1949

INVENTOR. Z7. ,5. Jam 0, s on ATTU R N EYS Patented May 25, 1954 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE ADVERTISING CHANGE DEVICE D B J ameson, Pampm Tex.Application-January 26, 1949, Serial No. 72,853

My invention relates to business establishments such as restaurants andthe like, and has among its objects and advantages the provision of animproved advertising device.

The present invention is particularly adapted for use in connection withbusiness establishments having seating accommodationsfor their patrons.I make use of clock-controlled means for flashing a plurality ofelectric lamps numbered or otherwise marked to correspond to thenumbering or other marking of the seats in a particular place ofbusiness. The clock operates circuit closing means for energizing anyone of the lamps from time to time to designate a winner. In associationwith the seat identifying lamps, I provide a second series of lampswhich may be marked in terms of point value and are individuallyenergized with the energization of certain of the seat or patronidentifying lamps. Thus, when one of the seat or patron identifyinglamps is energized, one of the'second series of lamps will besimultaneously energized, so that the person occupying the seat havingthe number corresponding to the illuminated identifying lamp willreceive in point value whatever amount the valuation light indicates. Inaddition, I connect an audible signal in the circuit for sounding anaudible alarm simultaneously with the illumination of one of the seat orpatron identifying lamps, thus calling the attention of the patrons totheir chance to secure credit for whatever point value is indicated bythe valuation lamp without necessitating constant attention to thedevice.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevational View of my invention;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuit} g V "3 Figure 3is a fragmentary detail view illustrating the clock-controlled switchand the manner in which one of the seat identifying lamps is mounted; M

Figure 4 is a sectional view along the line 4-4 of Figure 3; A V

Figure 5 is an end view of a motor operated circuit closing drum; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the group of contactfingers operatively associated with the switch drum.

In the embodiment selected to illustratemy invention, I make use of aconventional clock I 0 which includes the usual dial I2 and hands 14 andI6. Figure 1 illustrates a group of lamps [8 as being arranged incircular formation about 1 Claim. (01. 27 3 138) the clock H]. Iillustrate twenty-four such lamps, which lamps may be numbered foridentification, as indicated at 20, to correspond tothe numbering of theseats in a particular place of business.

- Figures 3 and 4 illustrate the manner in which the lamps I8 aremounted. About the clock lamp into contact with the conducting strip 32,

which is anchored at one end to the panel 22 by a screw 34. 'Screw 34also constitutes-a cone nection for the wire 36.

Contact sleeve 26 includes an ear 38 fixedly related to a contact ring40 lying in a circular recess 42 in oneface of the panel 22. A screw 44passes through aligned openings in the ear 38 and the contact ring 40andis threaded into the panel 22 for'connecting the parts into a unitarystructure. According to Figure 4, the casing of the clock maybe providedwith an annular flange .46 into which I press a ring 48 of insulatingmaterial. In the ring 48 I provide an annular groove 5H1v into which,Ipress a ringlike conductor 52 provided with a plurality of pins 54.Figure 2 illustrates twelve such pins.

To a clock driven shaft 56 I connect a larger diametersleeve 58 to whichone end of a spring contact to isv secured. The spring contact is ofsuch length as to successively engage the pins 54 for shortperiods oftime through rotation of the shaft. Sleeve 58 is insulated from theshaft 56 at 52, and the arm 60 is fixedly secured to the sleeve by ascrew 64.

Referring to Figure 2, I illustrate a conventional wall plug at 65,which includes the usual prongs 68 and wires'lfi and I2. Wire 10 isconnected with one end of the ring 40 through the medium of a wire 14.Wire Ill alsoleads to a brush is arranged in conducting relation withthe sleeve 58. To the ring 52 I connect a wire I3, which wire leads tothe electric motor 80. An electrically operated bell 82 is interposed inthe wire 78. Wire 12 also leads to the motor 80.

Figure 2 illustrates each of the lamps 18 as being provided with onewire 36, each of which is connected with one finger 84 mounted on aninsulated bar 86 having its ends secured in any suitable manner to theend walls of a box 88.

connected with ten of the terminals sfi through 7 the medium of wiresI06. Four of the terminals 98 are electrically connected with theterminal I02 through the medium of Wires 10,8. Terminal I04 iselectrically connected with the remaining ten of the terminals 98through the medium'of wires H0.

Fig. l illustrates three valuation lamps, H2, ll l and H8, Referring toFig. 2, a wire I24 electrically connects the terminal Hi0 with thevaluation lamp H2, and the valuation lamp H2 is also electricallyconnected with a wire 125. A wire :38 electrically connects the terminalI02 with the valuation lamp H4 and the valuation lamp H4 is alsoelectrically connected with the wirel2 6. A wire I32 electricallyconnects the terminal N34 with the valuation lamp H6 and thevaluationlamp H8 isalso electrically connected to the wire I26. The wireI26 being connested at l28 to the wire 12.

' Cooperating with the fingers 84 and 92 is a drum I34 which isrotatably mounted in bearings ISGlocated in the box 88. Drum I34 is ofinsulating material and, is provided with twentyfour bridge elementsi353 arranged spirally about the drum to define one convolution. It willbe noted in referring toFigure, 6 thatone of the bridge elements I38bridges one finger 84 and one finger 92. Drum I34 is operativelyconnected with the electric motor 80 throughthe medium of a Bendix driveI40.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, theoperation thereof will be readily understood. As the. contact arm (50 ismoved into engagement with one of. the pins 56, assuming that the plug86- has been connected with a source of current, the circuit through themotor 80 will be closed as follows; wire 10, brush it, sleeve58,,contact arm 60, the associated pin 54, ring 52,.wire l8, bell 82 tothe motor and to the wire 12.

Bendix drive 140 ,As themotor is started, the

operatively connects the motorv with the ,.drum

i lso that the latterwill be rotatedforsuce cessively bringing thebridge elements. I38 into bridging relation with their respectivefingers B4 and 92. At the same time, the ring 40 will be energizedthrough the medium of the wire Hi anclthe lamps I8 will be successivelyilluminated during rotation of the drum 134. However, contact arm 88 hasconducting relationv with the pin .54 for a very short period of time.Thus, the circuit to the motor 80 will be broken as soon as the arm 60moves out of contacting relation with the previously engaged pin 54.

The bridge elements I38 are so arranged that one finger 84 and itscompanion finger 92 will always be bridged through the medium of one ofthe elements I38. Such bridging of one finger 84 with one of the fingers92 will close the circuit through'one of the lamps 18 as well as throughone of the valuation lamps H2, H4 or H6. Thus the illuminate dlamps [8will indicate'the winning seatand one of the valuation lamps willindicate the point value received by the occupant of that particularseat.

Bell 82 will continue ringing so long as the :ir; :u ii is closedthrough the motor 80. The frequency of operation may be changed to suitthe needs of a-particular place of business. Spacing of the,.p ins 54will depend upon the speed of the shaft 56.

I claimi A device of the typeldescribed comprising a first. plurality.of identifying lamps arranged in circulariormation, a, second pluralityof identifying lamps positionedwithin said circular for.- mationofidentifyinglamps, av clock also positioned within said circularformationof identifyinglamps, aterminal board having a plurality otterminalspositioned thereon, a rotary bridgingdrum having a plurality of contactsthereon, a motor for rotating said drum, a plurality of first contactspositioned in thepath of the contacts on saiddrum and connected to saidcircular formation of identifying lamps, a plurality of second contactspositioned adjacent said first contactsa currentconducting wireconnecting each'of said firstcontacts'to one of said first plurality ofidentifying lamps, a current-conducting wire connecting each'of saidsecond contacts to one of said second plurality of identifying lamps, acurrent conducting wire connecting certain of the terminals to certainof said second plurality of identifying lamps sothat both said first andsecond contacts may be bridged by the contacts on said drum tosimultaneously energize the first and secondplurality of identifyinglamps, first contact means adapted to-be rotated by said clock, secondcontact means in the path of said first contact means connected to saidmotor, current conducting means connected to said motor whereby saidmotor is energized as the first and second contact means are engaged bythe operation of said clock, said motorbeing adapted to rotate said drumto energize said lamps alternatelyand in sequence.

. References Cited in'the file-of this patent UNITEDSTATES PATENTS

